The Third Dragon
by Imp the Targaryen
Summary: Two promises Ned has to keep, and Rhaegar's prophecy will finally ring true. For theirs is The Song of Ice and Fire. Distinctly AU, rated T to be on the safe side.
1. Two Promises

_There must be a third_  
_ The dragon has three heads_

* * *

The sword weighed heavily upon his tired, bloody hands. Valyrian steel or not, it took every inch of strength left in Eddard Stark to wield his longsword _Ice_ and ready it to deliver the death-blow – the blow to end the life of Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning and one of the most dangerous fighters in the Seven Kingdoms. But Ned had to know, he had to know why the Kingsguard was protecting his sister when they should have fought along Rhaegar at the Trident. Ned had called his banners, and had gone to war for his family alongside Robert Baratheon when the Mad King Aerys II had demanded Eddard and Robert from the custody of Jon Arryn after killing both his father and brother, and they had destroyed the Targaryen forces in their quest to avenge them and rescue Lyanna - the very Lyanna he was fighting for now. What was so important about her that Rhaegar had started a war, laid down his life and left not one but debatably three of the best fighters in Westeros to guard the woman he had kidnapped?

In the half second Ned took to debate with himself whether or not to plunge _Ice_ deep into the last surviving Kingsguard, the Sword of the Morning was already shifting – trying to claw his way to _Dawn_ and get up to fight back, but Howland Reed was on him quicker than he thought any man could move, kicking him back down, his spear dangerously close to piercing Dayne's skin. The tip was coated in Howland's personal concoction of poison, a testament to his completion of the brutal training methods of the crannogmen. One cut would be all it would take, and Dayne would die a painful death, living his last moments in horrible agony. The skill with which his friend had handled a spear had brought an image of Howland Reed and the Red Viper of Dorne fighting a duel, but he quickly pushed the thought away. At any other time, the image would have amused him, but not today. He had to decide what to do with Dayne's life – and he still needed to know why he was defending his sister, before he could rush up to her and envelop her in his embrace and promise to never let go.

Getting the Sword of the Morning to the ground had not been easy. He had arrived with six others, some of his best men, and he and Howland were the only ones left standing. The bodies of the dead still bleeding as they lay dead, colouring the grass red. The three opposing them had fought admirably, Dayne claiming two of his men himself in the bloody fight which ensured.

_"And now it begins" he had told Ned, unsheathing Dawn and holding it with both hands._

_"No." Ned replied with sadness clear in his voice, "now it ends"_

It had ended with Ser Arthur on his back, surrounded by the dead of both sides and waiting for the final blow which would end his life, but it never came. In the end, Ned was left to face off Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning, in a battle for survival. Although holding his own in the gruelling duel, Ned had begun to lose out to the Kingsguard and if it had not been due to Howland's timely intervention, which had saved him from what would have probably been a fatal blow, Ned doubted he would still be standing over the Sword of the Morning. Feeling himself loosing blood, he noticed the large gash to his left arm, a result of Dawn no doubt. It wasn't the only scar he received from the fight, however, with various other cuts littering his body, but it was certainly the one bleeding the most. Arthur lay on the ground – Howland's spear on his throat; an inch of movement on his part would end his life. Ned realised this would be as good a time to question Dayne as any. It went against his honour to question a man in such a manner, a man whose injuries were worse than his own and was clinging on to life, but he was fighting to save his sister and family came first.

"Speak." Ned ordered. As he spoke, Howland brought his spear up, giving the Dayne some space to move but still making sure that he could not try to reach for his sword, _Dawn_, which lay a few yards to his left. He could see Arthur cough up blood and noticed it visibly took effort for him to talk.

"What do you... want me to say?" he managed through fitful coughs, his voice raspy.

"Tell me… tell me why you protect Lyanna, and guard for her when your Prince needed you to fight alongside him? Tell me why you helped in the lowly endeavour of keeping my sister captive? Tell me, and I might grant you the gift of mercy." Ned spoke in an even tone, keeping his feelings under control as best he could yet, underneath his icy mask, turmoil raged. He wanted to leave the Dayne in the hands of Howland Reed and rush to his sister's side, but he needed answers.

"Not kidnapped… ran… away… carrying child" the Sword of the Morning answered, his voice shaking and his face contorted in agony. He was clearly in pain, but that didn't matter to Ned. He thought he might have misheard him, but the look his fellow comrade gave him dispelled any notions of such. Ned felt as if a sword had just pierced through his heart, so deep was the shock.

Suddenly, everything made sense.

* * *

Running up the stairs, Ned paid no heed to condition he had left Arthur Dayne in. All he could think about was seeing his sister once more, the wild wolf of the North, holding her close and never letting her leave his sight every again. He would make sure his sister never suffered again at the hands of another man if it was the last thing he did, _Robert be damned_. He was at the top of the tower before realised he had left Howland Reed alone with Dayne. But all his thoughts stopped when he saw the room at the end of a short, dark corridor, the only source of light being the window at the far end of the hallway. Running the length of the hallway, Ned stopped before the door to the room, knowing it to be Lyanna's. His stomach turned in anticipation of what lay on the other side of the door.

In his haste to be with Lyanna, he had forgotten all about her pregnancy.

He opened the door, and was met with the stomach churning sight of blood everywhere with a putrid stink greeting his nose. But that didn't matter to him. Nor did the fact a young woman, barely more than a girl stood horrified next to the massive four-poster bed dominating the room. He could not care for who she was or why she was here in the same way he could not care that he had left Ser Arthur under the care of Howland Reed. All that mattered to him was the person who lay on the bed, the person he had fought a war for, sacrificed love for, killed for. Her dark hair clung to the bed, wet with sweat; her face left pale, whiter than the snows which graced Winterfell in Summer and Winter; her body limp, all its energy spent. And two grey eyes, bright with emotion, staring back at him - causing a range of emotions to well up within him.

"Ned" she whispered, barely audible, even in the silence that gripped the room.

"Lyanna" Ned acknowledged, voice thick with emotion which was threatening to tear him apart at his seams. So much he had sacrificed, so much he had lost to save the wild wolf for whom he would have laid his life down for. But it was only in that moment he noticed someone else in the room with them, shocking him but at the same time stirring up feelings of protectiveness he would not have thought possible at the sight in front of him.

A babe, sprawled across Lyanna's bare chest, with a pair of bright amethyst eyes staring back at him.

* * *

Ned stared at the tower. The Palestone Sword seemed to soar into the heavens, splitting the sky around it. His breath caught at the sight of the the keep of Starfall coming into view, the sea reflecting the rays of the sun and making it seem as if Starfall sat atop a sea of molten gold. It was beautiful. But he could not be distracted by the beauty of what he saw. Behind him, he heard other horses trot behind his, and he suddenly felt the weight of _Dawn_, which he had strapped on his back. The sword was a reminder of the promise he had to fulfil; a promise made to a dying woman on her deathbed.

_"Ned? Is it really you?" Lyanna whispered, so quietly that Ned had to strain to hear what she was saying._

_"Sweet Lyanna." Ned forced himself to move up toward her, eyes watering. It had been so long. "Oh sweet, sweet Lyanna". He was exhausted, his legs were moaning in complaint as he moved toward his sister while his arm continued to bleed._

_"Ned, you're hurt"_

_Of all the things she could have said then, she chose to concern herself with him. It brought a smile to his face, a smile filled with anguish. He would bear the pain a thousand time over if he had to, he had started a war for her. He didn't get the chance to kill Aerys, but he would not squander the chance to save his sister and take her back to the north, in the Keep of Winterfell where she belonged, ice flakes in her hair and running through the snows with not a care in the world. But would she make it? She looked broken, tired didn't even seem close to cutting it and it was clear she had lost a lot of blood. He banished those thoughts when he spoke again._

_"It doesn't matter. I can bear it, Lya. You are all that matters to me, and I have come to take you home." He believed every word of what he said, he had promised himself, and his honour would not allow him otherwise. _Dead or alive_._

_"To Robert Baratheon?" she spat with as much venom as she could manage. Here she lay, possibly in her deathbed and she still managed to show her fury toward that man, he who could be said to be Ned's brother. Ours is the Fury were the Baratheon words, but they did not even come close to the fury Lyanna had felt when she had been betrothed to Robert. It seemed to have been a lifetime ago, when Ned had believed she would have calmed down over time and would come to accept her situation. A time when he had held hope for the future, when his father and brother had still been alive._

_"To the north" speaking with conviction in his voice, "to Winterfell, where you belong." He knew he would have a hard time convincing his sister to ever marry Robert, but he had started the war alongside Ned for his sister. _If she makes it out alive_, a voice in the back of his head spoke, but he dismissed the thought - she would survive, she was of the north and a wolf, and she would survive. "But first I need to get you out of here. Although you seem to have made yourself quite comfortable, a feat considering you never stayed still." He let out a small chuckle, and was soon joined by that of his sister. But the laughter soon gave way once more to concern._

_"Wylla" Lyanna spoke weakly, but with intent in her voice, "get my brother some cloth to wrap up around his wound". The women called Wylla soon rushed out of the room, to wherever she needed to go to get said cloths._

_"Lyanna, it is not necessary."_

_"Nonsense." She coughed, before continuing, "I will not have my brother bleed to death while he finally comes to see me" stating it with a hint of amusement, conveniently ignoring the fact she was staring death in its face. Yet it was taking her much effort to speak, to form words, to even look at her brother seated next to her. She coughed up blood, before she willed herself to continue._

_"Ned, I don't have much time left. I know I will soon join father and Brandon, and my beloved Rhaegar - the father of my child" she said as she glanced down at the babe spread across her chest, tears streaming down her cheek. _

_Ned could not form words. He wanted to silence her, tell her she would survive and be fine but he was overwhelmed by the fact that his sister knew of the deaths, that she had lost hope in her own survival, that she had given up. But he could not let her loose hope, no matter how pointless the task looked, if not for her, then for himself. Yet his response surprised him._

_"You told you this? Of these deaths?"_

_"I... I used to see ravens fly into this tower, and see Rhaegar read them and confer with the Kingsguard. When he left, I pestered them until they told me why. I wept from sunrise til dawn for their deaths, Ned. And when Rhaegar died..." tears continued to flow down her cheeks as she forced herself to continue, not giving in to the urge to stop, "I will never forget the look on Ser Arthur when he read the parchment, how heavy his voice sounded when I made him tell me. I vowed I would never forgive Robert, and I intend to keep that promise til I die today"_

_"You will not die!" Ned said loudly, trying to hold back his grief, not caring who would hear him. "You will come north with me, and we will sort this out with Robert. He fought this war as much for you as I did, if not more. He slew Rhaegar for you, to save you and rescue you from your kidnapping"._

_"You know Ned, as much as I, that I was not kidnapped". A small part of Ned had always believed that Lyanna would never have allowed herself to be taken, would have fought to protect herself, and that she must have willingly run off with the Crown Prince. He remembered the looks shared between them in the Tourney at Harrenhal and had known something was going to happen, yet he had not acted on his instincts and his family, along with Westeros, had paid the price for it. "I married the man I loved, Ned, and I will never regret that"._

_"You married Rhaegar?"_

_"Yes Ned. Targaryens have taken two wives before and he married me making me his second wife, but he had kept it a secret, fearing what Aerys would have done when he found out. He managed to get a septon to marry us, but it took a lot of convincing and a few forceful words for him to do so", she recounted with slight amusement. "You know I would have__ never married Robert willingly. He would not have changed, and I would have been left a hopeless woman while he whored and drunk his way into an early grave"._

_Ned could not help but sympathise with his sister. Robert was known to whore and drink, but Ned had always thought his sister could have changed the man. If only she would have told him earlier, then perhaps this whole war could have been avoided. What he had no indication was of Rhaegar and Lyanna getting married; the thought had never crossed his mind. He noted Wylla coming back, but she hung back - not coming close to what seemed to be a sister's last words to her brother, along with Howland, who entered the room and immediately walked to Ned's side._

_"Howland, it has been too long. I only wish us meeting again would have been in better circumstances". Howland visibly seemed to stiffen at Lyanna's words, and it was clear he was trying to deal with her last moments too._

_"I would have wished so too, Lyanna", he managed to state, before falling silent while __Lyanna grabbed Ned's hand, and stared at her babe, for which her affection was clear in her eyes. She took a deep breath, as if she was summoning the last of her energy, to state what she would state next._

_"Ned, this child is innocent, it had no part in the war or bloodshed. If Robert ever finds out about it, he will make sure to have it killed" The image of Rhaegar's other children killed and laid in front of Robert came to his mind; _I see only dragonspawn,_ he had uttered. "I know what he had done to Rhaegar's other children, and I need you to protect it Ned, to make sure it grows up safe and out of harm's way. I need you to protect it from Robert and whatever he wants to do to the child. Promise me Ned, on your honour that you will do so. Promise me."_

_Ned's breath caught. He could not deny his sister on his deathbed, yet what she asked of him may cost him too much. The child could be the cause of another war, but he had no option, and he spoke the words "I promise"._

_"Care for the child Ned. For Winter is Coming"_

Pain seized him. He looked at the bundle he carried in his arms, at the two bright purple eyes that stared back at him, and could not help the sadness that enveloped him, the sadness that the child would never know its mother or father or know their love. It would never know the comfort of an easy life, or know what it was like to have brothers and sisters to play with. The child had a bright smile on its face, completely oblivious to all of Ned's thoughts, and he smiled back at the child. It would be for the best, Ned decided, for it would not do to let the world know that another Targaryen still lived. He could only imagine Robert's rage when he found out about the child, and what he would have done to it. He shuddered.

He continued to ride towards the Keep of Starfall, remembering how he had broken down the Tower, and had built cairns for the fallen with a heavy heart. None could replace the men that had fallen on that day, Kingsguard and his own alike, and now he neared the end of his journey to Starfall to deliver the bones of Ser Arthur Dayne, along with his sword _Dawn_. He did not know who he would meet, yet he hoped he would get the chance to meet Ashara for one last time. _The one who I gave my heart to_.

After the battle at the Tower of Joy, he had ridden to his force of around 50 men, ordering them to head back to the Tower with him and help tear it down. His men had followed, and when he had told them to prepare Lyanna's body to transport it to the north, he clearly saw looks of sympathy had been given to him. He could not care for their sympathy, the death of his sister had left the hole created by the loss of his father and brother wider, but he had promised himself he would not grieve until his sister lay to rest next to the rest of their kin in the crypts of Winterfell. He had ordered the rest of his men to begin travelling to the north with his sister's body, while himself, Howland, Wylla and a few others would ride to Starfall to deliver the bones of the Sword of the Morning and return his greatsword. They had ridden hard, wearing hoods to hide their true identities in a land that was not friendly to them, although many times Lyanna's wet nurse had been cause to slow them down. As much as Ned wanted, she could not be allowed to part ways with them, she had seen too much. He had made Wylla swear not to reveal the true parentage of the child, or any other of the information she bore witness to in the Tower of Joy, but he was unsure if she would stick to that promise.

Yet the promise he had made to his sister was a hard one to abide by. _Promise me Ned_, she had made him promise but he would be damned if he broke it. His horse trotted towards to entrance of the keep, followed by the others as they made their way to enter the Keep of Starfall.

* * *

"Halt! Who comes to the gate of Starfall?"

Ned raised his hand for the column to stop in their tracks, as he prepared himself to deal with the castellan of the Keep. He knew the task which lay ahead was not an easy one, but he did not allow himself to be deterred.

"Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell". He could see the guards share looks to each other, probably in disbelief. He knew they would have a hard time convincing the men guarding the gate, thus he lowered his hood to show it was him. His dark hair and grey eyes were unmistakable, proving him a Stark. He could make out the face of the guard, his bemused expression as he wondered what the Lord of Winterfell was doing in Dorne. The guard quickly gathered his senses, before asking, "Lord Stark, what business do you have with the Lady Dayne".

Ned took a deep breath as he steadied himself. _I had to fight him. Why did I have to fight him?_

"I seek to return Ser Arthur Dayne's bones to Lady Dayne, with his sword _Dawn_". He knew this would cause much angst, but he had to do it - to give the Sword of the Morning's sister closure. But there was a deeper reason he needed to see the Lady Dayne, possibly for the last time. _It always comes back to that damned Tourney at Harrenhal_.

The gates opened for him and his fellow companions and their horses were led to the main courtyard of the Keep, and it was here where Ned disembarked from his horse. He gestured for Howland and another one of his companions who had accompanied him to come with him as he followed the castellan leading him to what he presumed was Lady Dayne's solar. He was wrong, as he soon found out he was being led to the solar traditionally occupied by the Lord of Starfall. It did come as a surprise when he found Ashara Dayne present in the solar as he and his two companions entered the room. The castellan quickly closed the door as he left them to speak with the Lady Dayne.

"Ashara?" Ned asked with longing clear in his voice. He could feel his desire for her, the love he still held for her even though he was now a married man with a son born. He felt guilty for the feelings he held for her, but as she turned around to look at him, his guilt disappeared, only to be replaced by longing. Longing for a woman he could not have, as he looked back at her. He saw her long dark hair tumbling about her shoulders, and looked into those haunting purple eyes in which he had lost himself countless times, and could not help but remember the last time he had seen her in Maidenpool, had spent the night with her even though he knew he would be married within the fortnight. It had gone against his honour to do so, but he had let his honour be damned as he allowed himself to forget about his grief in her arms and let himself admit he still loved her.

"Oh Ned!" she replied with tears in her eyes, and moved toward him. She embraced him fiercely, and he returned the gesture, holding as if he never wanted to let go. But he had to, and with a heavy heart he lay _Dawn_ on the table present in the solar. He saw the tears fall and gently wiped them off her face.

"I so sorry Ashara," he whispered. "For everything."

She gave him a sad smile and led him to the other end of the solar, where a small cot was placed. In it lay a babe, barely a moon old; a peaceful expression on its face as it slept silently. He looked at Ashara as realisation dawned on him, but she was looking at the babe. He knew he had to show Lyanna's child to Ashara, even if he didn't know why. "Howland, head down and bring Wylla up with the babe". Howland gave him a puzzled stare, but complied and left, leaving Ned with his other companion.

But Ashara had seemingly not heard him, or gave no indication of having heard him when she began to speak.

"When I left Maidenpool, I was still hoping that we would be able to meet each other after the end of the war and perhaps get married, no matter how high the odds were stacked against us. I should have known when you told me you had to go to Riverrun that it was never going to happen, that I would never be your wife and never live with you in the North." Ashara said with bitterness. _And why shouldn't she, I was the fool who broke her heart_. "I worried more on whether you would make it out alive after this war. But when I heard you had married Catelyn Tully... my heart shattered Ned. My world came crashing down."

"Ashara..."

"My brother lays dead, with his sword on that table. Do you know how it feels, to lose a brother as well as a father to war?" she asked him before realising what she had said. Ned felt numb, and could not bring himself to reply. He knew how it felt, he knew it better than anyone else. "Ned, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"It doesn't matter now. What's done is done"

She took his hand and squeezed it. "He is all I had Ned, in this grief. Our child. The child we made at Maidenpool" He looked at her again and this time she met his gaze. A thousands questions he wanted to ask, but could not bring himself to do so, too great was his shock. He had lost so much in a war he did not ask for. A father, a brother, a sister and then Ashara, when he married Catelyn out of duty. He could not lose his child.

His knees felt weak and it took effort to stay standing. Tears began to well up, and he let them flow, bringing Ashara into another embrace. It was at this moment he heard Howland enter with Wylla and the child. He knew, even in his grief, what his duty was to his sister - a promise he had made on her deathbed - and he broke the embrace. Ashara saw why he broke the embrace, but before she could ask him he spoke.

"Ashara, I will give this child a home. I will take him to the North with me, where he will grow up as my son. I will never let any harm come to him. Please Ashara, let me take one memory of my family back to the north."

"Ned, I can't. I love you, but you can never be with me. I have come to accept that fact, but don't steal my son from me. Without him, I would have no point in going on. My life would be worthless, Ned." Ned could feel what Ashara felt, he knew the place she was in because it was the same one he found himself to be in. He had to tell her, that she still would have meaning in her life, if she would help him keep a promise.

"Ashara, I know what you are going through, but you have to know how I feel. I am willing to part with my niece to keep her safe, the last memory of Lyanna and give her to you to care and keep her safe if you would let me take my son North. He would have a brother there, someone to grow up with and play. He would never be alone Ashara, but I would want to ask you to try to care for my niece. I would never be able to keep her safe, especially from my wife."

"Leave her Ned, for me." She pleaded with him from those beautiful violet eyes. "We could care for both of them here or wherever you want. We could run off together".

He felt his soul rip. _How can I tell you how much I want to stay with you?_ "I... I can't"

Her expression changed from one of sorrow to one of anger. She glared at him hatefully, all traces of love gone from her eyes. "You come into my own home, to take away my son and intend to leave your niece _who happens to be the daughter of Rhaegar Targaryen; the one who caused all this sorrow? _You intend to ask for this_ after killing my brother and bringing back his bones and his sword?_" she screamed at him. "I thought you had honour, Ned. But I guess I was wrong," she stated quietly.

Ned felt helpless, he felt despair. But most of all, he felt lost.

* * *

"She is the last Targaryen on Westeros, sweet sister".

It was at this moment, when Ned thought he had lost all hope, Ser Arthur Dayne chose to show himself. Ned had forgotten that Arthur was still present with him, mainly because he was too focused on Ashara, and then his child, and in this single moment he realised his choice to not kill Arthur Dayne had been the right one.

Howland had kept his watch over Arthur, before deciding that he should be by Ned's side in a moment like this and perhaps get a last chance to express his gratitude toward Lyanna. He had taken the blunt end of his trident and had knocked out the Sword of the Morning, rendering him unconscious and allowing Howland to join Ned and see Lyanna for one last time. When Ned had later asked him why he had left Ser Arthur alive, Howland had replied with a shrug, "he's probably more useful alive than dead", and Ned saw the logic in the decision - especially now.

"Arthur?" Ashara asked in a shaky voice, as she stared at the hooded man present behind Ned. Ned could see her disbelief and knew she would not believe until Arthur lowered his hood.

He did precisely that, and Ashara struggled to hold back her tears.

Arthur's hair and eyes made him distinct from others, and evidently crushed any doubts Ashara still had as to his identity. As she rushed into her brother's outstretched arms, Ned could not help the feeling of jealousy that enveloped him and wonder if Lyanna would have done the same thing if she was able to. The thought of her brought a pang to his chest, and seeing the reunion of brother and sister made him wish, not for the first time, that she was still alive. He pushed those thoughts to the back of his head, as he focused on the task in front of him.

"I have missed you sister," Arthur said, hugging her tighter.

"And I you, brother", breaking into tears once more.

They broke off the embrace, albeit regretfully and both turned to look at him with those purple eyes. "I beg of you Ashara", Ned began, "to take her under your care and keep her safe. She would never be safe with me, and when she grows questions would be asked and Robert would eventually find her. I don't want to know what would happen to her or me."

"I have to protect her sister" Arthur said turning towards her. "She is the last remaining child of Rhaegar and the one for which Ser Oswell and Ser Gerold laid down their lives for. But I cannot raise her up on my own, neither can I flee to Dragonstone. I have to go to the Free Cities, and I need you to come with me to raise her. _Please_"

All eyes were on Ashara, and Ned let out a breath of relief when Ashara nodded in acceptance. But she rushed to him, and taking his hand in hers she led him back to the crib. "Keep him safe, Ned. I will never be in his life, and I know your wife will never do more than ignore his presence, but he will have you. Make sure he has a father who cares for him and protects him. Promise me that you will be there when he grows. Promise me you will take of him..." tears fell from her eyes, but she continued on. "Promise me, Ned".

And for the second time, he agreed to a promise which would be hard to keep up to.

She hugged him once more, before breaking the embrace and handing him his son. He cradled him tenderly, and felt a smile tugging his face when the child looked at him with his big blue eyes and smiled. "What's his name?"

"I... I haven't named him. I thought you might have wanted to". She looked at Lyanna's child and asked him the same question, forcing him to remember his dead sister's last words.

_As she muttered with her dying breath, "Promise me, Ned, that you will protect my Alysanne"._

* * *

When he left Dorne to return to Winterfell, he heard the many rumours surrounding the end of the war. But it was his visit to King's Landing to see Robert Baratheon marry Cersei Lannister when he heard the rumours from Dorne which shattered his heart into a thousand and one pieces. For all the sparkly brilliance of the new Queen's wedding gown, or the celebratory mood of those at the wedding, his heart darkened at the rumours which turned out to be true.

It wasn't the fact that Dawn was missing from Starfall, or the fact that Ser Arthur's bones could not be found. It was the fact that Ashara Dayne had flung herself from the Palestone Tower. He thought she had understood, for all her grief she _understood_ his position. But it seemed, it was not so.

He left the cursed city the day after the wedding, to pick up the shattered pieces and return to Winterfell, his icy home which held more ghosts that it did life.

He returned to it a broken man with a bastard child.

* * *

_I own nothing of the works of George RR Martin._

**A/N:** Hello folks. First fanfic, and this the intro for the story. The prologue is finally COMPLETE!

Stop being so judgemental guys! I know the backstory with Ned and Ashara may not be perfect, but its the best I could think of to make Jon still end up being younger than Robb - he is born two weeks after Robb in this AU.

PLEASE REVIEW! I needs to know your thoughts on the story and what you guys think of the concept. Feel free to message me any time about the story - although what I reveal about it is up to me!


	2. A Motherless Child

_And All Because I Could Not Love A Motherless Child_

* * *

She had entered Winterfell after her husband had returned from the war. A thousand emotions went through her when she saw the great keep of Winterfell for the first time, and the castle simply took her breath away. Never had she seen a castle which looked so unaffected by time; it had supposedly stood for thousands of years and it seemed it would stand for thousands more, long after Catelyn's death. And yet she could not stop the feeling of dread creeping up on her. _This is to be my home_, she had chastised herself, and yet no matter how much she tried to convince herself otherwise she could not help the fear of spending the rest of her life in the castle with a husband she barely knew. _His name is Ned, and I have given him a son and heir_. A son. Her little one had been her pride and joy, red tufts of hair and bright blue eyes. Birthing him had been difficult, and Catelyn had feared she would lose the babe which came a week early. Yet he had been born strong and healthy, and Catelyn had breathed a heartfelt sigh of relief and happiness. He had taken her colouring, but he was Ned's son, who would one day hold the north and continue the Stark legacy. So she had entered Winterfell with her head held high, willing to build her life with a stranger and do her duty to her new home.

Yet her Lord husband had shamed her.

They had told her it would have been Brandon who would stray from her, who would take lover after lover and leave her in a loveless marriage. Ned was said to be the honourable one, the one who would have stayed loyal to her no matter what and she took solace from that fact while she waited. _All the men in my life have made me wait, why would my husband be different?_

But Ned turned out to be more like his brother than many thought. When she first saw the child, _his bastard_, she could not believe that the honourable Eddard Stark would have fathered a bastard. Yet when she saw the child, looked into those grey eyes so much like her lord husband's, there was no doubting it. This was his bastard, and he had brought him back to Winterfell to raise up with his future trueborn children. She had said nothing when he presented the child, just giving her husband a frosty glare cold that would make a northerner proud before swiftly gathering up her skirts and leaving the room before she did something she would end up regretting as feelings of hate overtook her. It was only when he looked at her son, _their son_, with a look of pure wonderment and held him like he was the most precious thing, did she realise that her son was his son too. It was in that moment that she decided to give frigid north another chance and hope to make the best of her situation.

It wasn't long before she felt genuine feelings develop for her quiet wolf as she learned to respect him. And as her belly started to swell once again, so did her feelings of affection and even love for her husband and she found she could never find it in her to blame him, but instead all her emotions of hate and sorrow became directed at the child. She still felt isolated, and the child was a constant reminder of her husband's broken promise. Who was the woman who was able to make Lord Eddard Stark forget his vows, if only for a night? She stayed up at night, trying to imagine the face of the woman while never knowing that she did know how the bastard's mother looked like. In another life, she had even spent time talking to her, however brief, before everything had gone to the seven hells.

So she prayed to the gods in the Sept Ned had built for her. She lit a candle to the Stranger, begging it to take him away, make him die. And at the mere age of two, Jon Snow caught the pox.

* * *

She entered the room, where the maester was treating Jon, with some difficulty. Maester Luwin was a kind man, small in stature with grey eyes and hair and a man Catelyn had quickly come to trust. He had arrived with her from Riverrun, and had helped birth Robb. He had stayed by her side through the most difficult stages of the birth and ensured both she and her child remained healthy through the months. The maester noticed her enter and and bowed his head slightly, greeting her. If he was surprised to see her there he did not show it on his features.

"My lady".

"Maester". She gave him a smile before focusing on the bastard. "How is he?"

Luwin looked in the same direction, before grimly stating to her he was not well. "If he survives the night, he will live."

Catelyn thanked him before dismissing him. She walked slowly to the chair next to the crib and took a seat, deep in thought as she looked at him. The boy, barely more than a toddler, was asleep. His small chest rose and fell in accord with his ragged breathing. He was struggling to breathe, that much was clear. She looked at him and thought of her treatment of the child. She had never been cruel to him directly, never hit him or abuse him. Yet she had maintained an air of indifference toward the child, casting him the occasional glare. The child had already learned to avoid her whenever he could, and would flee whenever she came to collect Robb. She knew she was responsible for that, yet what could she do? The boy represented Ned betraying her, betraying the vows they made in the Sept of Riverrun. She knew he was forced, knew he did for her father's armies to fight the war. She hadn't even known if he had eyes for another, although the rumours of Winterfell's servants did suggest a name. Yet he had married her, and she had hoped he would remain faithful. If she was honest, she would have not cared if he had fathered bastards in the war, as long as he kept them out of sight.

But he brought his bastard to Winterfell. Ned brought _him_ back with him. And she could not stand him.

Yet as she looked at the boy, she saw perhaps for the first time perhaps not what he stood for, not the Snow, but the boy. The small, fragile boy fighting for life and death. _Jon_. Tears came to her eyes as she imagined a fate such as the one she had given Jon to Robb, to the little one growing within her. She felt her skin crawl, and she could not stand herself for what she had done. The room suddenly felt too stuffy.

Catelyn got up and as quickly as she could she walked out of the room. She didn't know where she was heading but she let her feet guide her. She found herself outside and she took deep breaths of the chilly air. She could feel the weather grow colder, and the Stark words becoming truer every day. Winter was coming.

She didn't know what to do. Her emotions were running wild and she felt hate towards her own actions. Jon had done nothing to deserve such a fate, such hatred from her behalf. She had been the one to ask the Stranger to take the boy, and she felt deep shame for her actions. More shame than she had ever felt and as she touched the swell of her stomach, she knew what she had to do.

The late summer snows crunched beneath her boots but she paid it no heed as she headed to the godswood. It took her time, due to her slow pace, but she eventually managed to reach the weirwood. She had come to quickly know that this was Ned's favourite spot. It was where he would come to brood or think on a matter which was deeply affecting him.

For her, the godswood was a place which made her deeply uncomfortable. It was, in part, due to the long and melancholy face carved in the white bark of the weirwood, its deep-cut eyes red with dried sap which made Catelyn feel as if the tree cried tears of blood as the moon shone on the tree and made the bark glow as if it was molten silver. But she would suppress her unease to do what she had come to do. She knelt in front of the weirwood and asked them for forgiveness.

She didn't ask. She begged. She begged the old gods to forgive her, to forgive her actions. She begged them to let her fix her mistake. She begged them to let the boy live, to hear her pleas and let the boy live. And if he did, she promised that she would be a mother to him, a proper mother. She would care for him and love him like her own. She would beg her husband to rid him of the name Snow, make him a true Stark.

She promised this in front of the old gods, and she would be damned if she broke it.

* * *

She didn't know how she found her way back to the room in the darkness, or how she got out of there in the first place. But she did, and she spend the night with Jon Snow as he fought to live. She fell asleep next to his crib and woke as the first rays of the morning sunlight heralded the arrival of her husband into the room.

Catelyn was sore from sleeping on a chair, but as she checked the crib, she found Snow still breathing. _Jon_ was alive. _The gods have given me a chance to prove myself_.

Ned walked over to Catelyn, from where he saw Jon. His fever had broken and he was finally sleeping peacefully. Ned turned to her, smiling. "You didn't come to bed last night. I grew worried, until I saw you here".

"He will live," she said in return, not unkindly.

"It seems so. I am glad" and Catelyn noticed Ned truely seemed happy at the moment, as he embraced her. She leaned into his embrace, allowing herself to feel content. Yet she knew she had to confess how she had wanted Jon to die, otherwise she would never be able to find peace on the matter, and would hate the boy more for it.

"Ned, I have been a terrible woman." Ned simply turned toward her, wordlessly asking her to continue. "I have been lighting candles to the Stranger, praying to the Seven to take the boy away. I feel terrible".

Ned's face looked slightly pained, but not surprised. _Does he know?_ She found out soon enough.

"I know Cat. I've seen the candles in the Sept." To her surprised expression, he replied in an amused tone, "I do occasionally visit the Sept, if just to see if it was built properly".

Something overtook Catelyn. She had made a promise to the gods, but she would never find peace if she did not know who the mother of Jon Snow was. "Who was she, Ned?" she asked while looking at Jon. Before Ned could deny her, she continued. "I need to know Ned. Otherwise I will never be able to look at Jon in the same way I would to Robb or will to the one in me." She was sure she looked desperate, but she did not care. She wanted the burning question answered.

Ned took a deep breath as he seemed to consider her, before he answered her.

"Ashara Dayne".

A long forgotten memory of him dancing with Ashara came to her mind as she remembered the face of the woman who was called the most beautiful in all of Westeros. A woman who perhaps may have been Lady Stark. A woman who Catelyn had known, however briefly.

And then Ned told her everything. He told her about dancing with her, the time he spent with her in Harrenhal and how he promised to wed her when they saw each other again. How that soon became impossible after what happened with Lyanna and Rhaegar. He told her of the sorrow he felt when his father and brother were killed and how he raised his banners. How he met Ashara at Maidenpool. How, in their shared grief and sorrow... he had laid with her and taken her maidenhead. How they had created Jon, just over a week before he had married Catelyn. Catelyn had interrupted him then and asked Ned as she picked up the toddler from the crib, _Jon is older than Robb?_ She had seen his soft but firm shake of the head, as he explained to her how Jon was born near two weeks after Robb. _Robb was an early babe_, she reminded herself when she was confused as to how that could have been. He then told her of the war, most of which she knew, and told her of the Tower of Joy and the battle with the Kingsguard and finding Lyanna on her deathbed, before going to Starfall to return Ser Arthur Dayne's sword. She got the distinct feeling that he was holding something back, but she didn't push it.

He then told her of meeting Ashara and taking Jon from Starfall from her. Of Ashara's tear-filled goodbye and her anger at him for killing her brother. Of hearing about her death at the wedding of Robert and Cersei and coming back to Winterfell with a bastard and his dead sister. The sadness in his voice was evident by the end.

Catelyn took a deep breath as she digested all her told her. She realised if her father had not forced Ned to marry her then perhaps Ashara would be the one in Winterfell and Jon the heir. She realised the burden Ned had carried and how much pain he had hidden away and she felt so sorry for her wolf. And all of a sudden realised that technically Ned never broke their vows as he hadn't made them, before realising she said that last part aloud.

Ned look at her and smiled, a sad smile which almost brought tears into her eyes. "I did not my lady, and I never will". He held her tighter and as she snuggled into him, finally knowing the truth.

It seemed the movement had startled Jon, who stirred from his sleep, and finally woke.

His grey eyes, so much like Ned's, opened as she looked at his face. Catelyn didn't know what he would do once he saw who was holding him, but he snuggled into her chest and smiled as he looked up on her.

"Mama?"

The one word broke the dam she had placed in the heart. She felt waves of tenderness engulf her and she let the tears fall freely, not caring about them. It broke her heart, hearing his first word, into a million tiny pieces and she held him tighter. It reaffirmed her stance as she looked up at Ned with a smile, and perhaps the promise she had made to the old gods was one she could keep.

"Make him a Stark".

* * *

He would tell her he did not deserve her, did not deserve such a kind and devoted wife. Perhaps he did not, but in the end, Jon did. Robert had no qualms in legalising Jon, and the boy became Stark in both blood and name. And in the end, she found that she could love a motherless child.

* * *

_I own nothing of the works of George RR Martin._

**A/N: **Yes I know it has been absolutely ages, and I do apologise for that. I found that I just couldn't write this chapter whenever I tried and that ended up taking me ages. It is much shorter than the prologue but I hope it was worth the wait. I look forward to the thoughts and opinions of those reading this. We find out what has happened to Alysanne and Arthur in the next chapter.

Till then, do not hesitate to drop a review!


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